MULTIMEDIA

Charles B. Tisdale
Executive Director of Action for Bridgeport Community Development

Mr. Tisdale began his career as an elementary school teacher at Columbus School in Bridgeport. His next career move was to ABCD as Director of Neighborhood Youth Corp. In 1968, he was appointed Executive Director of ABCD, a community action agency serving the greater Bridgeport region in the areas of child care, energy assistance, weatherization, housing and youth services. ABCD currently has a 33+ million dollar budget. He is also very active in the National Community Action Agency Association and in the Connecticut Association for Community Action, Inc.

In 1977, during President Jimmy Carter’s administration he became Director of the Housing and Urban Development/Youth Conservation and Community Improvement Program in Washington, D.C. In 1979, he was appointed by President Carter as Staff Director of the Federal Inter-agency Committee on Integration of Human Delivery System at the White House, a position he held for three years.

In 1981, he was the United States of America Field Ministry Director for World Vision where he lectured nationwide on housing problems, urban development, job creation and small business encouragement. In 1985, he returned to Bridgeport and became the Director of Office of Policy and Development for the City of Bridgeport.

In 1987 Mr. Tisdale formed his own Consultant Firm, JST, Inc. specializing in developing public and private sector initiatives that meet the objectives of domestic and foreign communities.

He returned to take the helm of ABCD in 1995 where he remains as the Executive Director of this New England Community Action Agency, with a budget of 30 million dollars, serving well over 31,000 clients. His special interest is youth – our hope of tomorrow – and in designing and implementing programs that enhance their lives.